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What better to go with Irish lamb stew on Saint Patrick's Day than some Irish soda bread? Irish soda bread is a quick bread that uses baking soda rather than yeast. Traditional soda bread consists of only flour, baking soda, salt and buttermilk. The buttermilk reacts with the baking soda to produce carbon dioxide and thus rise. I decided to go with the brown soda bread which replaces half of the flour with whole wheat flour. I also decided to add some rolled oats for additional texture and flavour. I halved the recipe as I did not want to have too much in the way of leftovers. Soda bread would normally just be hand formed and baked on a baking sheet but I decided to put it into a loaf pan to give it a loaf shape. While looking for recipes I saw several that called for some non-traditional ingredients such as raisins, caraway seeds, etc.

The soda bread was the easiest bread that I have ever made. You just mix everything and bake it. It turned out pretty good. The crust was crispy and crunchy without being too hard and the inside was nice and soft and light. I timed it such that the bread came out of the oven at the same time that the stew was done so I got to have the bread while it was still warm from the oven. Of course I had to spread some butter on a few slices to melt into the bread. Melting butter on freshly baked bread is one of my favorite things. Given how easy this bread is to make it would be little trouble to make it for almost any meal.

Irish Soda Bread

ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup rolled oats

1 cup buttermilk

directions

Mix the flour, baking soda, salt and rolled oats in a bowl.

Mix in the buttermilk and form a dough.

Shape the dough and place it on a baking sheet or in a loaf pan.

Bake in a preheated 375F/190C oven for 40 minutes (the top should be golden brown).

Interesting! I think I got scared off by Irish Soda bread when an article came out about it in the Nytimes dining section about a year ago, which essentially said that the type of Irish Soda bread that we bake in North America is nothing like the original Irish version, which is actually pretty dry and gross (so said the article). Your blog post may be my first step toward reconciling my relationship with Irish Soda Bread!

Irish soda bread is one of my favorite quick breads. I've made a few versions in the past. I tend to be a purist when it comes to this bread and so don't add raisins and caraway. I like your addition of oats here. Next time I try my hand at soda bread, I will consult your version. Looks wonderful!

Kevin, you are amazing. I don't know when it was that you decided that your cooking was boring, but I can't see a single thing on your blog that doesn't make my mouth water! Butter melting on bread fresh from the oven? Dipping sed bread in the gravy from an Irish stew? Does it get better than that??

Kevin, I made this last night to go with our corned beef dinner. Fantastic! I had the ingredients out, mixed, and the bread in the oven in no longer than 5 minutes. Great flavor, and not dry like the soda bread you see in the stores. I'm thinking that sunflower seeds would be a nice addition next time--maybe even a little cinnamon and raisin action for nice toast. Delicious, amazingly quick bread to get on the table. Thanks!

I made this yesterday and I love how easy it was, but my bread didn't seem to rise at all. Yours has a lovely peak in the center just like it should, how come mine doesn't? Is it because I didn't add salt? Then what can be done without the salt to make it rise? I'm allergic to molds and yeast so I love soda bread but can't ever seem to get it to rise.

I just made my version of soda bread (pita bread but I had no yeast). I figured it wanted kneading but now I've checked this site and no one mentions kneading. Wonder what will happen. It's rising now.

Just made this tonight and exactly how you wrote the recipe - no changes whatsoever. It is simple and yummy. When it was done baking, I cut a slice (okay, I cut two - so what - I was feeling piggy) and slathered on butter, then topped with some sugar free jam. Scrumptious! Kevin, you are the best!

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About Me

I came to realize that my meals were boring and that I had been eating the same few dishes over and over again for years. It was time for a change! I now spend my free time searching for, creating and trying tasty new recipes in my closet sized kitchen.